


The Perks of Being an Avenger

by hufflebucky



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alcohol, Cute, Eventual Smut, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Kissing, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Reader-Insert, Romance, more characters to come too
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-12
Updated: 2018-11-14
Packaged: 2019-08-22 16:02:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16601123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hufflebucky/pseuds/hufflebucky
Summary: You live with Thor, as his protégé. Odin had bestowed special powers upon you to be used against Hela in the event of his death, but when you woke from Y/Nsleep upon Odin’s death, you inexplicably couldn’t use your powers. Knowing Odin would have wished it so, Thor agreed to help you learn to find your strength. Maybe one day you can even be a proper Avenger.AKA: The adventures of an Avengers hoAU in which, at the end of Thor: Ragnarok, the Asgardians make it safely to Earth. Infinity War? What’s that? Also, never head of Civil War either.Note: If you are here for the Bucky x Reader fun, you can skip to chapter 2.





	1. Family Game Night with Thor and Loki

**Author's Note:**

> I will try to update at least once a week.  
> -bb

Every other Friday was Thor and Loki’s Family Game Night, and Thor was kind enough to include you since you were protégé and without a family of your own due to the disaster known as Hela. Family Game Night was always a bit depressing for you because it reminded you of the fact that the devastation that befell Asgard at the hands of Hela was partially due to your failure. Thor insists it’s not your fault, and you know it’s really not your fault. But you were charged to protect Asgard should Hela ever return. Odin gave you powers to take on Hela, and he put you into Y/Nsleep to wake should he die. You knew that she had arrived and that Odin had died because you woke up from Y/Nsleep finally. Once awake, you looked at your hands. You remembered your purpose. But you couldn’t do anything. You didn’t know where your powers had gone, and no one had taught you to fight because no one expected you need combat training. So, you went into hiding with the rest of Asgard. The rest is history. 

You found Thor during the journey to Earth and pleaded for an audience with him. You tearfully apologized for being unable to be of any help to prevent Ragnarok. He assured you it was not your fault and that things actually worked out fine this way. And he also was kind enough to start helping you figure out how to unlock your powers, as Odin would have wanted him to do. He said then you could be of use to “Earth’s mightiest heroes,” the Avengers. He was very well connected. 

But even after training with Thor for a couple months on Earth, you couldn’t even get sparks to shoot out of your fingertips. You weren’t even sure if sparks were supposed to fly out of your fingertips, though, because you had no memory of what your powers were. Loki didn’t entirely see your value or pretended not to, but at his brother’s request, he at least began to show you how to use knives. You’re now able to hit a target with a knife--but not always with the blade.

Loki also agreed to another thing after settling down on Earth for a while, and you believed the arrangement was part of the terms of his probationary period on Earth (people were still very tense about 2012): Family Game night twice a month with you and Thor. Thor also insisted that part of the agreement was that Loki couldn’t use any magic or powers or general trickery to win, of course. 

\---

You were pouring yourself and Thor a beer in the kitchen when the elevator dinged, and the doors opened. You could see Loki enter the penthouse from across the living room. Quickly you grabbed the handle of the chef’s knife in the butcher block and flung it toward him. The knife flew across the room, flipping blade over handle just as you were taught, and Loki caught it by the blade neatly between two fingers.

“That is one hell of a greeting, Y/N,” he said. “Quite an improvement. But how about this?” He flung the knife back at you. You reached for the cutting board on the counter and held it up in front of you. The blade thudded into the wood, the tip of the knife protruding a couple inches through the back.

“Are you trying to kill me?” You shakily put down the cutting board with the knife still lodged in it.

“It’s probably time for more advanced lessons then,” Loki said. “You won’t always have cutting boards handy.”

Before you had a chance to reply, Thor walked in wearing jeans and his favorite Planet Hollywood t-shirt. You were slowly getting used to seeing royalty wearing Earth fashion. While Thor favored the casual look, Loki usually would never be seen without a suit jacket. They were rather flattering. You didn’t know if you had found your “look” just yet. One day, you happened to walk by a store called Madewell, and, trusting the brand lived up to its name, you bought an entire wardrobe from them. Apparently, you did the right thing because Natasha and Wanda, the first Earth women you met, always complimented your “outfits.”

“Brother, it is always such a pleasure to see you,” Thor boomed. He clapped Loki on the back, and Loki staggered forward a little. “What would you have to drink, Loki?”

Loki held up his hand, and a bottle of red wine seemed to rise out of his palm, swirling into existence. “I brought a treat for you and Y/N,” he said.

“You are ever the proper guest, brother,” Thor said. “Let’s have that corkscrew, Y/N!”

You opened the drawer next to the sink and began to rummage through the utensils.

“No need.” There was a small pop, and suddenly the cork was in Loki’s palm. “Just some glasses then.”

You closed the drawer and moved to the cabinet. You took down three wine glasses and brought them over to the living room, placing them on the coffee table between the two couches. The two brothers sat on opposite couches, eyeing each other with thin smiles that didn’t quite reach their eyes. You poured the wine and handed each god a glass of red wine. It smelled delicious. You took your own glass and sat next to Thor on the couch.

“Y/N, darling, there’s no need to be afraid of me. I promise I’m reformed.” He held his hand to his chest, as if to show that this was coming from his heart. 

Thor laughed. “He’s quite right,” Thor said. “Why don’t you sit next to Loki tonight. Also, I do believe it is your turn to choose the game we play.”

You got up to switch couches and sunk down beside Loki. He gracefully lifted his arm and rested it on the back of the couch behind your head, and you felt a slight chill on the back of your neck.

“I’d like to play Splendor with the Avengers expansion pack tonight, if that’s alright with everyone,” you said. You thought Splendor, being a cooperative and not a competitive game, would make for a relaxing night with the brothers.

Loki pinched the bridge of his nose and looked down into his lap. “You wound me, Y/N.”

“Yes, Loki cannot bear that he’s cast as a villain in that game,” Thor said. “Be kind to my brother. Throw him a bone.”

“Okay,” you said. “Let’s play Scrabble, but let’s keep it to a maximum of five different languages this time and all from Earth. My German is a bit rusty.”

You left and were back with the Scrabble board in a few minutes. On your way to the living room, you heard the brothers talking rather quickly, cutting each other off. As you entered the living room, they looked up at you and both smiled warmly. Family stuff, you figured.

You sat back down next to Loki. Thor immediately opened the box and began setting up the game pieces. You sank back into the couch and felt a cool hand on the back of your neck. A small gasp escaped you. You coughed to cover it up. 

Thor looked up. “Are you well?” he asked you. 

You nodded and reached for your wine. It warmed you on the way down your throat.

“Let the game begin! Everyone, take a letter.” Thor held out the black sack of tiles.

The game was uneventful (the languages played so far were English, Finnish, German, Portuguese, and Latin. The alphabet represented by the tiles somewhat limited you all). But then Bruce Banner dropped by as you played “Pfankuchen” off of Thor’s “kuchen.” 

“You have to get a cell phone, man.” Bruce stepped out of the elevator.

“I told you: send a raven.” Thor made little flaps in the air with his fingers.

“How on earth would I get a raven—never mind. I’ve been trying to reach you.” Bruce seemed agitated. He ran his hand through his hair.

“Shshhh.” Thor soothed him. “The sun’s going down. The sun’s getting real low. The sun’s going down.”

“Would you stop it with that?”

Then Loki tapped you lightly on the shoulder. You turned away from Thor and Bruce who were arguing by the entrance to the penthouse.

“I brought you a gift.” A small brown book swirled into existence in the palm of his hand. You took it from him. As your fingers brushed his palm, you felt how cool his skin was. You looked at the cover of the book. It was a collection of Old Norse myths. “To remind you of our home.”

You felt your cheeks grow hot, and tears began to blur the little book you held in your hands.

“This is so sweet,” you managed whisper. “Thank you so much, Master Loki.”

“Please, stop with the ‘Master Loki’ nonsense. You can call me ‘Daddy.’”

“Pardon?” You scrunched up your brow.

“It was a jest! Honestly, you need to learn to lighten up. You can call me Loki.” Then he leaned in and whispered in your ear. “But you can call me ‘Daddy,’ should the mood ever strike you.”

Bewildered, you pulled away. You weren’t sure what calling him ‘Daddy’ meant, except that the suggestion in his voice seemed to rule out the possibility of his actually wanting you to refer to him as your father.

Thor entered the living room area just as you were pulling away from Loki. He looked from your puzzled, guarded face to Loki’s intent gaze at you.

“Brother, are you making Y/N uncomfortable?” Thor asked. “Y/N are you alright? Did he say something—”

“Honestly, you think I can’t be left alone for five minutes,” Loki said. “Hello, Banner.”

“Hey, Loki.” Bruce sort of hurried by to the kitchen where he began raiding the fridge.

“Is everything alright?” you asked Thor. “Dr. Banner seemed upset.”

“Nothing for you to concern yourself with, I assure you.” Thor smiled. “But I do think Family Game Night is over for tonight. Since Y/N had the highest score, it’s safe to say that Loki didn’t cheat, which the UN panel will be happy to hear about.”

Loki rolled his eyes magnificently. 

“Thor!” Bruce called from the kitchen. “Are you saving this Honey Baked Ham for any special occasion?”

While Thor was distracted by Bruce, Loki seized the chance to whisper quickly in your ear, “Think about what I said. My offer for you to call me ‘Daddy’ still stands, little girl.” He rose from the couch, buttoned up his jacket, and headed to the elevator. “I’m leaving, brother. I shall see you in two weeks. Y/N, I’ll see you Monday for training. That thing you pulled with the cutting board was totally unacceptable.”

After the doors closed behind Loki, Thor came up behind you and put two large, strong hands on your shoulders. “Are you comfortable spending more time with him?” he asked.

“Of course,” you answered. Honestly, you were curious more than anything. Something about the word “Daddy” had your ears ringing. It was the way he said it, low and sultry.

“You know I’m trying to protect you,” Thor said. 

You put a hand on his large, rough hand. “I know, and I appreciate it. But I think I’m safe with him.”

“My brother, the interstellar war criminal.” Thor laughed. “I can come to your training, if you’d like.”

“Really, it’s quite alright.”

“Well, then. I suppose I’m off to work with Banner for a bit. It will probably be a late night.”

“That’s fine,” you said.

“Be good.” Thor kissed you on the crown of your head. He pulled away slowly, you could feel his lips lingering in your hair. 

You froze, your hand still on his.

“Well, goodnight, Y/N. The TV is yours,” Thor said.” You can finally catch up on that baking show I know you’ve been dying to watch.”

And just like that, the spell was broken. It was back to the teacher and the student, the mentor and the protégé, the king and the commoner, the powerful and the powerless. He cared about you. Odin had cared about you. Thor was a sweet man. That’s all there was too it, you told yourself.


	2. Assembling Ikea Furniture with Bucky Barnes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after Family Game Night, you're confused and alone. But Bucky Barnes ends up keeping you company.

Thor must not have come home last night because he was nowhere to be found in the morning. He must not have stopped home either because there was no note. He usually left notes to communicate because he refused to get a cell phone. Tony Stark even gave him a custom device with practically millions of capabilities as a “Welcome to Earth!” present. It was still in the hall closet. Thor had tried to give it to you, but it would only activate with the voice command, “Point Break,” spoken by Thor himself. But Thor bought you a phone. The problem was that you didn’t have anyone’s number. Loki just sort of appeared and disappeared when he felt like it. 

You didn’t see him as often as Thor, and you were still learning how to read him. You didn’t know what to think about last night. You decided staying busy would keep your mind off all the strange things that happened last night. You thought you’d go for a run, make yourself a healthy breakfast, and then spruce up the house. You and Thor had bought furniture but had only assembled the essentials, like the dining room table and the beds. Your bedroom still needed a desk, a chair for the desk, and a couple bookcases. Maybe you could get all of that done before 5pm and then start making dinner. 

But none of that would happen. Ragnarok felt all too recent, and you thought you’d distract yourself with a little bit of Netflix. A couple episodes of the Great British Bake Off turned into an entire season, and then you stumbled upon a new show that sucked you in, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. A combination of your guilt- and depression-fed inertia and taking advantage of Thor’s absence to watch what you wanted without fear of judgment just caused you to spiral. 

Somehow, it got to be four in the afternoon, and you heard someone’s voice on the intercom. Someone needed to be let into the building.

“Miss Y/N,” Frank, your doorman, said. “A Mr. James Buchanan Barnes is here to see you.”

“You can let him up. Thank you, Frank,” you said. 

Bucky Barnes, the former Winter Soldier, was here? You weren’t even wearing real pants, just purple pajama shorts, but there was no time to change now. 

Minutes later the elevator dinged, and the doors opened. Out stepped Bucky Barnes. You had spoken to him once before at Tony Stark’s party to celebrate Thor’s return to Earth. You were starving, but your hands were full, holding a plate of crackers and cheese in one hand and a flute of champagne in the other. You approached a couch, but Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, and Bucky Barnes pretty much filled it to capacity. 

But Bucky must have seen you looking. “We can move over,” he said. “Here.” He scooched over onto Sam’s cushion and patted the now empty spot next to him. 

You sat down. It was very warm. You only exchanged a few words before Thor dragged you away to meet Wanda and Natasha. Then when you returned to the couch, he was gone. That was all. Yet here he was.

“Hey, Y/N,” Bucky said. “It’s good to see you again.” He had a small, almost shy smile that still managed to light up his blue eyes.

“You, too, Mr. Barnes,” you said. “Can I offer you a drink?” You began to walk him toward the kitchen.

“You can call me Bucky,” he said. “I could go for something to drink.”

“We have beer and—” You opened the fridge. 

“Beer will be fine. Thanks.” He smiled, showing small creases around his bright eyes.

“So, what brings you here?” You took out two bottles of beer.

“Right to the point, then!”

You laughed. “I guess I just never expected you to drop by like this.” You handed him a bottle.

“Well, I have a message from Thor,” he said, accepting the beer. “He came by to pick up Steve this afternoon. They have some mission with Bruce and Tony. Apparently, they didn’t need me, so Thor asked me to come tell you he wouldn’t be making it home for dinner and that you could order something and watch that baking show you like.” 

“Thor and that baking show!” you said, blushing. “Alright, well, I guess I’m on my own tonight.”

“I could keep you company,” Bucky said. “All my friends are on a mission…or dead.”

You gave him a look from the corner of your eye.

“I mean because I’m old,” he added.

“You’re a child,” you said. “I’m so much older.”

He laughed. “Not possible.”

“Well, to be fair, I was asleep for most of my life, thanks to Odin, so I don’t feel particularly old.”

“How old are you, if you don’t mind my asking?”

“About a thousand years, but, like I said, I was asleep for most of it.”

“I was asleep for most of my life, too. How about that?” he said.

“Well, look at us,” you said.

“So, what are you up to this evening?”

At this point in the day, you were supposed to have been for a run, bathed, and assembled all your furniture. “I have furniture to assemble.” The words just came out.

“Do you need any help?” he asked.

“I am—”

“Let me rephrase that. Would you like any help or some company?”

It was Saturday evening. You had no idea when Thor would return, and you weren’t scheduled to see Loki until Monday. You could use some company. “Company would be wonderful, actually.”

“Okay! So, where’s this furniture?”

“My room. Follow me.” You handed him his beer and led him out of the kitchen and down the hall to your room. You padded silently on bare feet, and his boots sounded heavy behind you. Your door was already open, revealing your unmade bed and dirty clothes on the floor. 

“Excuse the mess.” You scratched the back of your head sheepishly.

“There’s nothing to excuse,” he said. “So, all of this needs to be assembled?” He pointed to the flat cardboard boxes leaning against the walls.

“Yeah. Thor really likes Ikea. In fact, he won’t buy any other brand of furniture.” You shrugged.

“His house, his rules, I guess. Anyway, where should we begin?”

“Well, why don’t we divide and conquer to begin with? You could start with that desk chair, if you don’t mind.” You didn’t want to give him the huge desk or the bookcases. Somehow, you felt that would be rude. 

“That seems doable.” He walked over to pile in the middle of the floor. At one point, you had started with the chair because it did seem “doable.” You left the arms, underframe, and chair shell in pieces. Bucky knelt down and picked up the instruction booklet and a clear plastic bag of screws. He rose, reading the booklet. “Långfjäll,” he said with perfect Swedish pronunciation. 

“Oh, you speak Swedish?” you asked happily.

“There’s still a lot of what Hydra put in me here.” He tapped his temple. “Some of it can be a little useful.”

You, of course, were aware of his story. After Hydra fell and he was reunited with his best friend Steve Rogers, he began recovering his normal personality. No one seemed sure, though, just how much he could recover. Now, here he was, sitting cross legged on the floor, scrutinizing the instruction booklet. He seemed so harmless yet so very tragic. 

\---

You heard a grunt from the middle of the room. Bucky was hunched over the jumble of chair parts, straining to fit in a screw that would attach the arm to the chair. “It. Won’t. Go. In.”

“Easy, there. Let’s take a break and grab another beer.” You walked over to him and offered your hand to help him up. He took it, and it shocked you because it was cold and unyielding. It was his metal arm. You hadn’t thought about it because he came in wearing a long-sleeved t-shirt and a leather glove on his left hand. You hadn’t even thought about it until now. You kept your face neutral. It’s not that you thought his arm was strange. It just caught you off guard.

“This is taking forever,” he said. “I’m sorry it turns out I’m absolutely useless when it comes to assembling Ikea furniture. You’ll have to give me some pointers. I don’t know how you managed to get two bookcases together in the same time I attached one and a half arms to the chair.”

“Well, I’ll help you when we get back.” You smiled. Somehow helplessness in strong men made you soft. Perhaps it was unexpected vulnerability.

“I’m the one who’s supposed to be giving you a hand, not making extra work!”

You laughed. Really, it was endearing to see him so humbled by a desk chair. “You’re not making extra work. It’s nice to have the company, honestly. Thor tends to keep me kind of isolated.” You handed him another beer.

“Yeah, I noticed.” He paused to sip his beer. “I didn’t get much of a chance to talk to you at that party at Tony’s. Why does he keep you so isolated?

You took a thoughtful sip. “I think it’s complicated.”

Bucky just set his eyes on you, silently encouraging you.

“To him, I’m Asgard. I’m Odin. I’m the last shred of the life Thor has known for a millennium or so. He sees me as more than just a person, and I assure you that I am just a person. But maybe I don’t know anything about what he’s thinking. Despite appearances, Thor is a complex man.”

Bucky drank in silence, neither stopping you nor urging you on. You decided to stop. You didn’t want to reveal too much. You didn’t want him to think you had feelings for Thor, when you weren’t sure yourself. You were still figuring out who Thor was, too. Bucky’s silence was drawing out all these questions. So, you drank to shut yourself up.

After a few minutes of silently avoiding eye contact, Bucky stood upright. “Let’s get this damn furniture taken care of so we can relax,” he said. 

“Good idea!” You led the way down the hall again.

“This chair is a nightmare,” Bucky said when he entered your room. 

“We can take a longer break if you want.” You flopped onto your bed on your back.

“Do you mind if I join you?”

You shook your head: “no.”

Bucky followed suit and flopped onto your bed on his back. He reached for your hand. His was warm and human. You interlaced your fingers together without thinking.

“Do you like being awake or do you wish you were still asleep?” He turned his head to face you.

You continued to stare at the ceiling. “I honestly don’t know yet. It’s all too soon to tell.”

“How old were you when Odin put you to sleep.”

“I was twenty.”

“Did you have to leave people behind?”

“Yes. My family. It was difficult.”

“Friends or lovers, too?”

“What? Just friends.”

“Did you ever get the chance to be in love before you went to sleep?” he asked.

You turned your head to look directly into his glacial blue eyes. “Not once.”

“That’s okay.” He rolled over to face you with his whole body. He paused and bit his lip in thought. “It doesn’t have to be love, you know.”

“What is ‘it’?” you asked.

“Something, anything that can happen between two people.”

“What would it be then?” you asked.

“Does it need a name now?” He reached around you with one arm and shifted himself until he held himself over you.

With so much uncertainty in your life right now, what was one more nameless thing? “No, it doesn’t need a name, I suppose.”

“Have you ever been with a man before?”

“Never.”

“Is that something that would interest you?” His voice was now low and gravelly. 

“I want—” you began. You thought of Loki and Thor, how what they said and did didn’t seem to relate. “I want someone to be clear about what they want.” 

“Well, I can say for certain that I want you,” he said, voice still very low.

“You want me now,” you said. “But will you want me tomorrow?”

“Yes. Now tell me what you want right now.”

“I want you to kiss me.” Something hot flared up from your navel.

Bucky dipped his head and grazed his lips against yours. Once to the left, once up, and once back down. Then he sank his lips fully onto yours. He nipped at your upper lip playfully. You kissed him back hard, reaching up to pull his head to yours. You let him slide his tongue in your mouth and let it probe in and out. He tasted sweet from the barley in the beer. He tasted like dusk falling all over a meadow. His hair between your fingers was clean and soft and silky. 

He took your hand and guided it between his legs and gently moved it along his hardened length, which you felt beneath his jeans. “This is how much I want you.” 

You blushed, but you didn’t withdraw your hand. Instead you explored the contours of his erection with your fingers, gently stroking it with your fingertips. He closed his eyes and bit in his bottom lip.

That’s when you heard the elevator ding. When you heard his voice, there was no doubt it was Thor. “Y/N! I’m home early! I’m sorry to have left you alone like that.” His voice was getting louder as you heard his footsteps coming down the hall.

“I promise it won’t happen again.” He was just outside the door. “I sent Bucky Barnes to give you my message.” 

He appeared in the door and stopped when he you saw you two sitting next to each other on the edge of your bed. Of course, you were still in your pajama shorts from earlier. No doubt your hair was a mess. No doubt you were still blushing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this! Feedback is always welcome and appreciated :)


	3. After Dinner with Thor, a Taxi Ride with Bucky Barnes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor catches you and Bucky "hanging out" but invites Bucky to stay and have dinner with you two. Bucky gets drunk on Asgardian ale and needs some help getting home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if it's worth a trigger warning, but someone does get a smack across the face in this chapter.

You tried to imagine how this must look to Thor. You: in your pajamas, hair a mess, lips swollen, face red, sitting next to a very handsome man on your bed. Not good. You quickly assessed Bucky. He already had a smile for Thor, rising from the bed, greeting him as if nothing had happened, as if he hadn’t just put your hand on his penis. Had this been nothing or was he just a great actor? You decided to worry about that later and followed his lead instead. You became all smiles for Thor.

“I’m glad you’re back early, Thor!” You rose from the bed, too, but left a generous space between you and Bucky. “How was the mission? Where did you go?”

“Nowhere special, just some country, a very small country. We kind of saved it, but it’s not a big deal. Like I said, it was a very small country.” He was rambling. “Anyway, I see you’ve put together the bookcases. They look good.”

“Thanks! Bucky was helping me.” It was true, sort of, but it felt like a lie.

“Actually, Y/N did most of the work,” Bucky said. “It’s good to see you, Thor.”

“It’s always a pleasure, Barnes,” Thor said and shook his hand vigorously in a vice-like grip. Bucky’s smile became strained and faltered ever so slightly. “Why don’t you stay for dinner? It’s time for dinner, isn’t it? We can’t turn you away at dinnertime!”

“I certainly can’t say no to the God of Thunder,” said Bucky. Thor released his hand, and Bucky slowly clenched and unclenched his fist, as if making sure his fingers still worked.

“I meant to make dinner tonight,” you said. “I’m sorry.”

“No apologies needed! We shall order delivery. Chinese sound good?” Thor asked.

“That’s fine with me,” Bucky said.

“Sounds great,” you said.

\----

Thor called in an order to his favorite Chinese restaurant, the Jade Dragon, while you and Bucky sat at the kitchen island, trying to avoid eye contact.

“I think this occasion calls for some Asgardian ale from my very own stock,” Thor said. “It’s very strong, so you two can split one, and I’ll have my own.”

You and Bucky exchanged looks.

“Okay, sounds great, but are you sure? It sounds very special,” Bucky said.

“It is, but I’ve always been putting off drinking it,” Thor said. “Why not tonight?”

“I haven’t had Asgardian ale in, well, a millennium,” you said. “So, I’d love to have some.” You knew that Asgardian ale was definitely strong enough to ease some of this tension. Hopefully, Bucky, a human, could handle it.

“I think while the food is on its way, I’ll hop in the shower. Saving a country—even a small one—definitely causes you to work up a sweat.” Thor put his hand on yours to get your attention. “Do you mind serving our guest the ale?”

“Not at all,” you said.

Thor practically bounded out of the kitchen, down the hall, and out of sight.

“Kiss me.” Bucky turned to you in his chair. “Quickly.” He didn’t wait for an answer before lowering his head and touching his forehead to yours. “Hurry.”

You lifted your face and reached your lips to his, softly. Urgently, he pulled you closer with his hand behind your head. Your lips locked. He pulled back slightly, opening is mouth, inviting you in. You flicked your tongue over his, feeling the soft, sweet warmth. You felt a stirring in your gut, and it urged you on to kiss him harder and then let go of his lips and pepper his neck with kisses. He tasted faintly salty, but his skin seemed to radiate a heat that soon had you brushing your teeth on the tender skin of his neck. He pulled away, steadying you with his hands on your shoulders.

“Easy!” he said. “Don’t leave any marks. He’ll see.” He swooped in for a quick peck on our lips. “Don’t forget the ale.”

“Oh, right!” You hurried to the cabinet above the fridge where Thor kept the liquor, and you retrieved two dark amber bottles without labels. “It’s best drunk at room temperature.” You split one bottle into two glasses and poured a third for Thor.

“Cheers.” You lifted your glass and clinked it against’ Bucky’s. “To making new friends!”

Bucky laughed. He sipped his ale, and a rosy blush blossomed on his cheeks. “This is strong!”

It was your turn to laugh. It definitely had more of an effect on the human. You sipped yours and merely felt a pleasant warmth spread down your throat.

Bucky leaned into you, his breath was hot against your ear. He nipped at your earlobe, and you couldn’t help but tremble. “I want you.”

“You’re certainly keen,” you said.

“I want you to say that you want me, too,” he said.

You wanted to say it because it was true, but you didn’t know what sort of impact it would have on the whole of your life right now. It was kind of impossible to have a private life while living with Thor. You still didn’t know what he wanted. You weren’t exactly sure what you wanted either when it came to Thor, and then there was the confusing wrench in the works that was Loki, the God of Mischief, of course.

“I can’t say that right now,” you said.

“What if we went on a proper date?” he asked. “Surely Thor would allow it. It’s not like you’re his girlfriend or his daughter.”

“You have a point,” you said. “Okay, I agree to one date, and we’ll see how it goes.” 

“Great, what is your number?” In an instant, he was handing you his phone, and you entered your number. “I’ll text you, so you have my number, too.”

Bucky Barnes would be your first contact, you thought. 

\----

Dinner was uneventful. Thor rambled on about the mission and a little bit about his plans to get your powers back. He believed that if they were capable of defeating Hela, if you recovered them, they would be a tremendous asset to the Avengers. But there was a lot of trial and error going to be involved.

“And we’ll probably need to consult Loki,” Thor said, almost resignedly, “to see if you have the potential for magic.”

“Maybe she could meet with Dr. Stephen Strange,” Bucky suggested.

“The thought had not occurred to me, but it would be a worthy investigation!” Thor looked at you. “We shall call upon him tomorrow.”

“Sounds great,” you said. “Is everyone ready for their fortune cookie?” You passed out three fortune cookies.

Everyone was silent as they cracked open their cookies and read their fortunes.

Thor sighed. “’Happiness is an activity.’ What does that even mean? I never get good fortunes. Read yours, Barnes.”

Bucky cleared his throat. His eyes seemed to struggle to focus. The ale was getting to him. “’A wish is what makes life happen when you dream of rose petals.’ That doesn’t even make sense.” He turned to you. “What’s yours?”

You squinted at the tiny red print. “’You can still love what you cannot have in life.’”

“Wow. That’s heavy,” Bucky said.

“Heavy indeed,” Thor said, and he shot to his feet. “I think I’m off to bed. I ate too much, and saving a country—no matter how small—tends to tire the body. Rest is important. Y/N can see you out, Barnes, when he’s ready.” Thor looked Bucky up and down. “Maybe now is a good time.”

Bucky’s eyes were bloodshot, and he sort of stooped forward in his chair. He was drunk.

“I can call you a ride,” you said.

“No, ’s’okay,” Bucky said. “I’ll walk it off.”

“Alright, it’s settled then. Goodnight, Barnes. Safe travels.” Thor left the kitchen and vanished down the hall.

“What is with him? He probably knew you’d get drunk like this,” you said.

Bucky stooped forward further, but in a swift movement, you rushed off your seat to catch him against your shoulder.

“I wassserious when I said I wanted you,” he said. “Kiss me again? You have such soft lips. You’re pretty.”

“Not like this.” You let him lean on you, and the two of you staggered toward the elevator. You snatched your purse off the coffee table on your way. “I’m taking you home. You shouldn’t be alone like this.”

“Okay, ‘s’long as you kiss me again.”

“Maybe. We’ll see.”

\----

Down on the street, you hailed a taxi. A yellow cab swerved up to the curb, and you helped Bucky crawl in. You followed after him.

“Stark Tower, please,” you told the cab driver.

He looked at you in the rearview mirror and raised an eyebrow.

“Please,” you said.

He took off into the sea of red taillights flooding the streets.

Bucky leaned against you, closing his eyes and resting his cheek on your shoulder. You looked out the window. The lighted letters spelling out the names of restaurants and banks and shops blurred by. You saw the flags outside the UN flit in the cool night breeze. And soon, the cab pulled to a stop at the base of Stark Tower. You looked up at the gleaming structure. It was quite impressive.

“Bucky,” you said. “Wake up, Bucky. Bucky!”

He awoke with a snort. “Did I fall asleep?” 

“Yes, but we’re back at your place now. Time to get up.”

He groped for the car door handle and finally made contact. He spilled into the street, staggering forward onto the sidewalk. You paid the cab driver and thanked him.

Bucky put an arm around your shoulders. “Come up to my room?”

“I’ll make sure that you get safely to bed, but I won’t stay.”

“Will you kiss me?” 

“Probably not.” You led him to the entrance of Stark Tower.

When you entered the building, the doorman nodded to the two of you. “Good evening, Mr. Barnes.”

Bucky waved with his free hand and pulled you along to the elevator.

“I’m going to make sure you get in bed safely, and then I’m leaving.” You watched the numbers above the elevator: 12, 11, 10, 9…

“Marry me,” Bucky said.

You laughed.

“You laugh, but I’m serious.”

“You’re not serious. You’re drunk.”

\----

When you finally made it to his room, he plopped on the bed. You untied his boots and started pulling them off.

“You’re so kind,” he said.

“I know. I am a saint,” you said.

He reached forward with his arms outstretched and ensnared you by the waist. Something instinctive in you snapped, and you slapped him. Hard. Right across his right cheekbone. You hit him so hard that, while his body stayed rigidly in place, a semi-transparent copy of him seemed to have been knocked out of him. This apparition of Bucky looked back at the rigid Bucky sitting on the bed.

“What did you do?” He gazed at his pearly, translucent hands, turning them over in wonder.

You put your hand to your mouth. “I’m so sorry, Bucky! I don’t know what happened. I just—” Acting almost autonomously on another instinct, you placed your palm on the head of his rigid form. Instantly, the copy spiraled back into his body. His eyes shot open. They were clear again.

He spoke clearly and calmly. “What was that?”

“I should go,” you said. “I’m so sorry. I should just go.”

“No wait.” He grabbed your wrist as you were turning to leave. “Don’t you see? It has to do with your powers! I mean, I shouldn’t have come on to you like that. I should be begging for forgiveness.”

“It’s okay, really. I’m just so sorry. I don’t know what happened.”

“But don’t you see how great this is? It means you’re getting your powers back!” He continued to hold your hand.

“But I hit you!” Tears were beginning to blur your vision.

“I don’t care what you did to me, as long as it means you’re getting your powers back.”

“I’m so sorry!” you flung your arms around his neck, and he circled his arms around you.

“Listen to me, Y/N. It’s okay.” He pulled you in tighter.

“If I kiss you, will you forgive me?” you asked.

“I told you there’s nothing to forgive.” He brushed away the tears that had begun falling. “But I won’t say no to a kiss.”

You crawled onto his lap, and he pulled you in close. You lifted your face to his. Even in the dark of his room, you could make out the blue of his eyes. Their depth seemed infinite, and you knew that with one slip you could fall forever.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading my fic! I'm new at this, so I'd love any and all feedback :)


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